STANDISH — A 911 responder and two deputies of the Arenac County Sheriff’s Department were honored with plaques in a ceremony the morning of Monday, Sept. 17, for helping save the life of a little girl.

According to Sheriff Jim Mosciski, on Aug. 3 a Standish boy named Clay Plachta, 13, made a 911 call, telling the operator, Patricia Tremble, that his little sister Olivia Plachta, 2, was unresponsive after falling in the pool, and was not breathing when she was pulled out.

Tremble verified the necessary information and dispatched two nearby deputies, Justin Huber and Trevor Sprague, to the scene, Mosciski said. The two deputies were there within four minutes, were able to clear the obstruction in Olivia Plachta’s throat, and performed CPR until an ambulance could arrive to take her for medical treatment.

“They played a big part in saving Olivia’s life,” Mosciski said. “Thanks to their efforts, she made a full recovery.”

Olivia Plachta was at the ceremony alongside her mother Melissa, Clay, and other family members. Melissa Plachta thanked the deputies, and said they not only saved Olivia Plachta’s life by keeping her airway open and rolling her into a recovery position, they also had the forethought to bring her to the end of the driveway so she could be taken to the ambulance as quickly as possible.

“We’re honored and grateful,” Melissa Plachta said.

Sprague praised Clay Plachta’s quick thinking for making the initial call, and standing out at the end of the driveway to flag down the sheriff car, and later the ambulance.

Olivia Plachta received a gift from Tremble: a necklace with a guardian angel on the end, and Melissa said she wanted to keep in touch with the emergency personnel who saved her daughter’s life.